Consultancy - Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF GBV) Consultant, Technical Division

Contract type:  Individual consultancy
Closing date: 31 May 2023
Duty Station: Remote
Duration: 1 July - 31 December 2023

Background: 
In the context of an increasingly digital society, the way in which people communicate, work, learn, produce, consume and access services and information is being radically transformed. These structural changes have been accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a consequence of reduced face-to-face interactions. 

Technological innovation and digitalization have provided a window of opportunity to provide services, including GBV services, without interruption, and in some cases, scale up, during the pandemic. However, it has also turned into a space in which gender-based violence is perpetrated against women and girls.

Ending gender based violence and harmful practices is one of three transformative results in UNFPA’s Strategic Plan. This will only be achieved if technology-facilitated GBV is also comprehensively addressed and included in existing GBV case management mechanisms. In response, UNFPA have led a programme of work to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF GBV) through communications and advocacy under the bodyright campaign as well as bringing normative technical and right-based standards to this frontier issue. 

UNFPA also supports countries in designing, implementing and delivering services for survivors of GBV. Innovative technology and digital solutions have been developed to solve problems related to access and quality of GBV services. A non-comprehensive mapping of UNFPA technology innovations for GBV found more than forty apps or technology tools that have been developed to facilitate data collection, case management, survivor reporting, prevention, information and response for GBV survivors. However, when it comes to technology solutions for GBV, careful consideration needs to be given to safety and ethical standards, particularly regarding privacy, safety and survivor-centeredness. 

This consultancy will serve to accelerate the work of UNFPA in increasing safe and ethical use of technology to address GBV and harmful practices, including increasing UNFPA internal capacity to conduct assessments of technology to ensure suvivor-centred approaches.

The consultant will report to the Technical Adviser, Gender Based Violence, within the Gender and Human Rights Branch, Technical Division.

Purpose of consultancy: 
As UNFPA is increasingly engaging in the technology space to ensure safe and ethical use of technology and innovation to address GBV and prevent technology-facilitated GBV, the consultant will provide technical expertise to UNFPA programmes and strategy. The consultant will provide advisory and technical support to demonstrate operationalization of the “Guidance on the Safe and Ethical Use of technology to address GBV and HP” (Guidance). The consultant will lead application of the Guidance to existing UNFPA technologies in partnership with UNFPA staff to both support increased digital literacy, data stewardship, and strengthened safe and ethical technology. The consultant will also lead a review of internal UNFPA Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies to support inclusion of the use of technology to facilitate exploitation and abuse.

    
    Scope of Work:
Under the overall guidance of the GBV Advisor, the Consultant will work with the Gender and Human Rights Branch (GHRB) in planning and implementation of activities within the purview of the GBV portfolio. These will include the following: 

Assessing Technology used for GBV and HP programming:
1.    Build upon existing mapping of key UNFPA technologies relied upon to address GBV and HPs. This would be undertaken by way of desk review of current UNFPA GBV/HP Tech Repository, UNFPA Innovation Challenge submissions and winners, FGM Tech Assessment and any other relevant research. Mapping may also include interviews of key staff within the GHRB and the Information Technology Services Office (ITSO) as necessary;

2.    In consultation with GHRB and UNFPA offices, identify at least five key technologies for in-depth review and write tech profiles for each. Use the Guidance as reference for assessing. Interviews and focus groups with project managers, developers, women and other key stakeholders may be necessary;

3.    While conducting in-depth reviews, identify crucial areas of safety concern and recommend mitigation/ enhancements with ITSO and GHRB to be shared with project lead, if necessary.

4.    Ensure a process of capacity building of UNFPA staff through the use of the Guidance for Safe and Ethical Design of Technology for GBV and HPs to review existing technologies;

5.    Final report demonstrating the way in which the Guidance may be utilised to ensure safe and ethical technologies are deployed by UNFPA;

UNFPA Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA):  

6.    Desk review of the internal UNFPA PSEA policies to ensure that use of technologies to perpetrate, report and investigate sexual exploitation and abuse with a view to providing key recommendations;

7.    Final report providing key recommendations of how TF GBV can be integrated into current PSEA policies;
Overall: 

8.    Present final analyses and recommendations to UNFPA;
9.    Develop a training module outline, write full content for sections relevant to the work produced, with the goal of increasing digital literacy, data stewardship and enabling UNFPA staff to support safe and ethical creation and deployment of technology.
10.    Overall lead support for technical discussion at the country, regional and global level across UNFPA to support increased digital literacy and enable staff to support safe and ethical design and deployment of technology

        Deliverables:

The deliverables will be provided on an ongoing basis over the course of the consultancy period. They include the following, and will be delivered electronically and monitored weekly through work plans in consultation with the consultant’s supervisor.

Assessing Technology used for GBV and HP programming:
●    Create an analysis plan, assessment outline, and proposed adjustments to current UNFPA GBV/HP Tech Repository;
●    Update and populate UNFPA GBV/HP Tech Repository with all technology currently being used for GBV and HP programming; (20%, $6,000)
●    Write at least five tech product profiles based on assessment and include at least one champion product;   
●    Compile mitigative/ enhancing strategies for relevant tech products in close coordination with ITSO and GBV/Tech consultant.
●    Draft report including methodology for review, limitations, specific use and reference to the Guidance, tech profiles, final analysis and outcomes of assessment and draft recommendations; 
●    Final report including methodology for review, limitations, specific use and reference to the Guidance, final outcomes of assessment and recommendations. (30%, $9,000)
UNFPA Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA):  
●    Draft report containing key recommendations for integration of technology-facilitated gender-based violence into internal UNFPA Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policies and procedures;
●    Final approved report containing key recommendations for integration of technology-facilitated gender-based violence into internal UNFPA Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policies and procedures; (30%, $9,000)
Overall: 
●    Presentation of findings and recommendations; 
●    Detailed outline and overall frame for training modules on: technology for GBV and HP programming and staff safeguarding with detailed content development for relevant sections of the training module that cover the Guidance and PSEA. (20%, $6,000)

Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will report to the Gender Advisor of the GHRB, TD, under the overall supervision of the Chief of the GHRB.

Required Expertise and Qualifications:

Education:
●    Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in gender, technology or development engineering, public health, social work, social science or other related degree. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
●    Advanced university degree in or equivalent programming experience.
.
Knowledge and Experience:
●    7 years of GBV program management experience, including at least 3 years of experience in advocacy, research or programming on GBV and technology.
●    Experience implementing GBV programmes with government entities strongly desired
●    Experience working in the development or technical analysis of technology solutions for GBV, public health or development programming essential
●    Experience in software requirements development and design desirable
●    Demonstrated understanding of the survivor-centered approach and GBV multi-sectoral services
●    Demonstrated understanding of issues related to confidentiality, data safety and other ethical concerns related to the sharing on sensitive data between humanitarian and development agencies
●    Demonstrated organizational skills: the ability to work independently and productively, with multiple stakeholders in a fast-pace environment
●    Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wider range of functions in a multicultural environment
●    Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment and independently, and to handle requests or issues as they arise.

Languages:
●    Fluency in English

How to Apply:
Please send your application and a short letter of motivation with “TFGBV Consultant”  on the subject line and email the documents to EndTFGBV@unfpa.org, by 31 May 2023.